Efficacy of levetiracetam in developmentally disabled patients: a review of the literature and six case reports

Objective. Seizures in developmentally disabled are often refractory to treatment. This study aimed to expand the clinical experience with levetiracetam as an antiepileptic drug (AED) for this population. Methods. Four males and two females (aged 25–51) with mental retardation requiring institutionalization and uncontrolled seizures (1.7–12.2/month) received levetiracetam (0.5–2.5 g/day) in addition to their standard AEDs. Clinical response was closely followed for 4–10 months (mean, 6 months) with respect to seizure control and adverse effects. Results. Two of the patients became seizure-free, while the other four had seizure reductions ranging from 71 to 92%. None of the patients experienced adverse effects, and three had improvements in behavior. Conclusions. Levetiracetam may be extremely effective in patients with developmental disability. Behavioral abnormalities improved in 50% of the patients.